[Health Tip] Asymptomatic Ovarian Cancer, Don't Miss the Critical Timing by Being Careless

"Regular Obstetrics and Gynecology Checkups Are Necessary"

Regular gynecological check-ups are advised for the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer, as the disease often shows no symptoms during its progression.

[Photo by Korea University Ansan Hospital]

According to Korea University Ansan Hospital, gynecologic cancers are malignant tumors that occur in the female reproductive organs, including the uterus and ovaries. Among these, ovarian cancer is often asymptomatic until the disease has significantly progressed, with most patients being diagnosed at stage 3 or later. Symptoms that may raise suspicion of ovarian cancer include indigestion, abdominal pain, bloating, abnormal vaginal bleeding, and occasionally a hard lump felt in the abdomen.

However, there is currently no established screening method for ovarian cancer. A study conducted in the United Kingdom found that early screening methods using ultrasound and ovarian cancer tumor markers did not reduce the incidence of stage 3 and 4 ovarian cancer. Recently, it has been recognized that having a BRCA gene mutation increases the risk of ovarian cancer, and efforts are being made to utilize this information. Nevertheless, testing is costly and insurance coverage is limited.

Therefore, the hospital explains that the best current approach to early detection of ovarian cancer is to visit a gynecologist for an examination about once a year. Vaginal ultrasound and tests for ovarian cancer-related tumor markers, including CA-125, can aid in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

Surgery is the fundamental treatment for ovarian cancer regardless of the stage. Since the ovaries are located deep in the pelvis, accessing them for biopsy is difficult, and there is a high risk that puncturing the ovary with a needle to obtain tissue could cause the cancer to spread throughout the abdominal cavity. Therefore, biopsy is not performed before surgery.

The surgery involves removing the ovaries as well as the uterus, lymph nodes, and any other areas suspected of metastasis. Afterward, a pathological examination of the removed tissues confirms the cancer diagnosis, and additional chemotherapy may be administered. Because ovarian cancer is often detected at stage 3 or 4 with metastasis within the abdominal cavity, open surgery is the standard treatment. However, laparoscopic surgery is increasingly being applied for early-stage ovarian cancer.

Professor Min Kyung-jin of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Korea University Ansan Hospital explained, "The ovary is about 3 to 4 cm in size, and preserving as much normal tissue as possible during surgery is important to maintain ovulation function and normal hormone secretion. For suspected early-stage ovarian cancer, minimally invasive surgeries such as laparoscopic or robotic surgery, which minimize the surgical area and remove only the lesions, are advantageous."

Professor Min Kyung-jin, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korea University Ansan Hospital.
[Photo by Korea University Ansan Hospital]